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M. A. BEDDING.

SWING BRIDGE.

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M. A. BEDDING.

SWING BRIDGE. No. 399,347. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

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M. A. BEDDING.

SWING BRIDGE.

N0. 399,347. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

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MARlUS A. REDDING, OF NE\\' YORK, N.

SWING-BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,347, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed a; 25,1888. Serial No. 275,250. (No model.)

This invention has reference to closing andopening the gateways at the entrance to swing-bridges which span rivers, canals, &c., in the lines of the streets and roadways by means of gates that are arranged to be raised from under the level of the street when the bridge is opened and lowered again when the bridge is closed.

The object of my invention is to operate the gates at both ends of the bridge simultaneously by means of mechanism put in operation by devices on or in connection with the bridge, so that when the bridge is opened for the passage of vessels the gate is automatically raised, thereby closing the street, and when the bridge is closed the gate is lowered in the same manner.

A further object of my invention is to drop or lower the gate in whatever direction the bridge is turned, either by swinging it open and returning it or by opening it and then closing it by a half-revolution on its axis.

Lastly, the object of the invention is to arrange the mechanism by which the gates are opened and counterbalanced wholly below the level of the street and bridge.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a swing-bridge with its abutments and pier in side elevation, showing also two 5 modes of arranging the mechanism for operating the gatesat one end of the bridge the mechanism being engaged by rack-bars on the under side of the end of the bridge, while at the other end the mechanism is in connection with the turn-table at the center of the bridge. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the bridge and with the mechanism that connects the turn-table with the gates carried down through the central pier. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of one of the abutments, wit-h the gate and its attachments partly in section, and the means of counterbalancing the weight of the gatethe gate in this case arranged to be operated from the turn-table. Fig. t is a similar view of the abutment and gate with the attachments and mechanism that communicates the motion of the bridge to the gate, which in this example is arranged to be operated from the ends of the bridge. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the abutment shown in Fig. 4c, the section being taken on line 00 a, and the mechanism being shown in side elevation, the end of the bridge with the device by which the mechanism is operated being also shown. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the mechanism that connects with the turn-table of the bridge, and by which the motion of the turntable is transmitted to the gate. end of the bridge, showing rack-bars for operating the mechanism (part of which is shown in dotted lines) by which the gate is raised and lowered.

Referring to the drawings, AA are the end abutments, that are built out from the street and up to a level therewith.

P is the central pier', on which the bridge is supported and turns from its closed position, with its two ends in conjunction with the abutments, to its open position at right angles to the position it occupies when closed. The bridge B at its center is fixed to a turn-table, T, and the latter is pivoted vertically in the pier, so as to turn freely on its axis or make a complete revolution in either direction. The sides of the top of the abutments are guarded by railings r r, forming continuations of the railings of the bridge when closed. The front of the abutments between the railings when the bridge is opened for the passage of vessels is intended to be guarded by gates G,

which are raised from under the abutment to stop or close the street while the bridge is open and lowered again when the bridge is closed. The mechanism by which this is done and the construction of the gate will now be described.

In the face of each abutment, above the water-line, is formed a recess, I, the sides whereof are formed of grooved iron posts or columns 2 2, the grooves being turned or faced inward, while their outer sides are about flush with the sides of the abutment. (See Figs. 3 and at.) These posts or columns rest firmly and securely on the bottom or floor of the recess, and their upper ends extend a suitable distance above the top of the railings r. In

the grooves, a short distance from the edges, Y are set a series of small rollers, which are de- Fig. '7 is an enlarged view of the signed to serve as bearings for the side edges of the gate to reduce friction and facilitate operating the gate. The columns or posts connect with the top of the abutments by means of flanges or brackets b thrown out from them and secured to a flat plate of iron, 19, embedded in the masonry of the abutment on each side.

' Crosswise of the abutment, on the inside, is laid a plate, 3, the ends of which rest on the side plates, p, to which it is secured, while its front or outer edge rests against the posts 2 2 on each side. Outside of the posts another plate, 4, is laid parallel to the plate 3, being supported by brackets 19 Z), projecting from the outside of the posts, and stanchions I)", planted on the floor of the recess, outside of the gate. Between the plates 3 4 is a slot of the full length of the gate and wide enough to permit the gate when raised to pass up through it.

The gate G has its side edges held inthe grooves in the posts 2 2 against the rollers therein. It is formed of a frame the top member whereof is parallel to the top of the abutment, while the bottom rail is arched, so that the center of the bottom of the gate is higher than the ends, being formed in this manner to afford space under the bottom rail of the gate for the posts that support the counterbalancing-levers, presently described.

In the recess I on either side of the middle line ofthe gate are placed posts 5 5, their bases being firmly bolted or otherwise fastened to the abutment in the recess, while they may be further secured against vibration or displacement by stay-rods, braces, &c. The tops of these stanchions are forked, the branches of the fork extending up above the bottom or arched rail of the gate, one being behind or between the gate and the wall of' the recess and the other in front of oroutside of the gate. The upper end of each branch is formed into jaws, and in the jaws outside of the gate are pivoted the levers L L, and in the jaws between the gate and wall of the recess are pivoted other levers, L L, parallel to the former. The levers on opposite sides point toward each other. The two that are pivoted to the same post, but on opposite sides of the gate, are coupled together at their lower ends by a cross-bar, 7, that bears against the lower edge of the gate as close to the side bar aspossible, so that when the levers are turned on their fulcrums the bars 7 bear up against the bottom of the gate and lift it from the bottom. As both pairs of levers are'coupled together in the same way, it will be readily seen that when the levers are operated both sides of the gate are raised evenly, and thereby the motion of the gate is made uniform and the operation is mucheasier than if the lifting were confined to the center of the gate.

Two forms of levers are shown. .In'Fig. 3 the upper or weighted ends of the levers are extended a considerable distance beyond the center of the gate, and to prevent them when the gate is lowered from projecting above the top of the gate they are curved so that their upper port-ions are about parallel with the top of the gate. This curvature also permits them to descend lower when the gate is raised. In Fig. & the posts are placed farther from the center of the gate and the levers are shorter, so that when the levers raise the gate their ends drop down between the posts, as shown in this figure. The ends that lift the gate are connected by links Z with a roller, Z, that bears against the bottom rail of the gate, as shown. By this construction the levers can be made shorter than those shown in Fig. 3, and the lifting action can be applied to the extreme ends of the gate, instead of some lit-' tle distance therefrom, as in Fig. 3.

The mechanism for operating the gate from the turn-table is illustrated by the right-hand portion of Fig. 1 and by Figs. 2, 3, and 6. The turn-table T has its flanges ff provided with toothed segments 8 8 and 9 9 the upper segments, 8 8, being placed opposite the blank spaces in flanges f, between the lower segments, 9 9 and these latter opposite the blank spaces in flange f, between segments 8 8. Between the two flanges and in position to engage the segment is placed a pinion, 10, 011 the end of a shaft supported in suitable bearings connected with the pier. The shaft carries a sprocket-wheel, 11. A drive-chain, 12, runs over this sprocket-wheel, and its ends connect with wire ropes 13 13, one of which is fastened to the bottom rail of the gate at cc, while the other is attached to a loop, 3 that has its ends fastened to the levers. The said wire ropes are continuations of the drivechain, and their function is to draw the levers down, and thus raise the gate when the sprocket-wheel is turned in one direction,and to draw the gate down when the mot-ion of the wheel is reversed by the movement of the bridge. Two modes of carrying the wire rope to the gate are shown. In Fig. 1 a tube, 14, is placed alongside the pier under the river-bed and up alongside the abutment to the recess.

-Through this tube the wire rope is carried from the drive-chain to the gate. In Fig. 2 the chain and rope are carried down through the pier, and thence into a tube laid under the bed of the river and to the abutment. Either method may be adopted in practice, the first being shown applied to a stone pier and the second to a pier built up of timbers. The operation of this device is as follows: lVhen the sprocket-wheel is rotated, it moves the chain, and thereby the wire rope is caused to draw the arms of the levers down, and the bar that connects the opposite ends being pressed against the bottom rail of the gate the latter is lifted. The sprocket-wheel isrotated by the shaft that carries the pinion, and the latter is put in motion in the following manner: The toothed segment 9, when the bridge is closed, as in Fig. 1, is in position to engage thepinion 10, so that as soon as the bridge begins to open the segment rotates the pinion, and through that the sprocket-wheel, and thereby the gate is raised and the street closed. The length of the toothed segment is such that it operates the pinion only long enough to raise the gate, after which it is disengaged, and during the further movement of the gate to its open position the pinion is motionless.

If the bridge can be closed by simply turning or swinging it backthe condition of the river permittingthe same segment engages the pinion, and by reversing its motion lowers the gate and opens the street; but if the river is crowded and the bridge cannot be swung back and it becomes necessary to close it by turning it onehalf of a complete revolution,

in that case the segment 8* is brought into gear with the pinion 10, but being on the up per flange of the turn-table, and consequently engaging the opposite side of the pinion, the motion thereof is reversed from that given when the bridge was opening. Consequently the gate is opened by the completion of the half-revolution of the bridge.

The use of four toothed segments is n ecessary, because each of the two gates on opposite sides is worked by its own separate mechanism, and two pinions, with the other connections, are employed. Hence, it the bridge is opened by turning it to the right, the racks 8 and 8 first engage their respect ive pinions, and thence the motion is communicated to the gates, which are lowered. If the bridge is closed by reversing the motion of the bridge, (that is, turning it to the left,) racks .J 5) close the gate, but if by turning it half-round, then racks 8 S operate the pinions to close the gate. It will be readily seen that by using two pinions and their connections with the gates placed at opposite abutments, in whatever direction the bridge is turned to open and close, the racks on opposite sides engage with the respective pinions and the two gates will be simultaneouslyopened and closed.

I will now describe the mechanism for opening and closing the gate from the ends of the bridge.

1. nder the floor of the bridge at each end two racks are placed, the ones shown being designated 8 9, to correspond to the racks on the turn-table. These two racks are of the same length and are fixed equallydistant from the center line of the bridge; but rack S is in a higher horizontal plane than rack 9 The racks that are placed at opposite ends of the bridge are arranged so that the racks whose teeth are in the same plane are diagonally opposite to each other, for a purpose which will be presently described.

In the recess I is erected, outside of the gate, a stanchion, 15, which at the top just under the plate & furnishes bearings for two short shafts, 16 17, one above the other. These shafts are further supported by a bracket, 18, dependent from the plate 4:. The shaft 17 carries a drum, 19, between the stanchion and bracket, on which is wound a chain or wire rope, 20, the end of said chain being attached to a drop-extension, c, of the gate. 011 the opposite end of shaft 17 is fixed a long-toothed wheel, 21, the outer end of which is in the plain of the rack 9, so as to engage the teeth thereof whenever, by the turning of the bridge, the said rack is carried in contact with the wheel. On shaft 16 is placed an idlewheel, 22, which is always in mesh with wheel 21, and is in the plane of rack 8, so that when the bridge is turned so as to carry the said rack into connection with the said wheel the latter is turned and communicates motion to wheel 21, whereby the drum 19 is revolved. By reference to Fig. 7 the position of the racks relatively to the wheels when the bridge is closed will be readily seen and understood. The two ends of the bridge being exactly alike, except that the position of the two racks is reversed, and the mechanism in the two recesses in the opposite abutments being exactly the same, the operation of closing and opening the gates is as follows: Referring to Fig. 7, if the bridge is opened by turning to the leftthat is, in the direction of arrow 1- as soon as the bridge begins to move, the rack engages wheel 22, and, turning the same, wheel 21 is also turned, and thereby the drum 1.) is caused to wind up the chain and raise the gate above the abutment and close the street. At the opposite end of the bridge the same result follows the turning of the bridge. The upper rack being on the opposite side of the longitudinal middle line of the bridge, when the bridge commences to turn, the said rack engages the idle-wheel at that end and raises the gate. If the gate is closed by turning it back, the same racks engage the idle-wheel, and, reversing their motion, the drums are caused to lower the gate; but if it is closed by turning it half around, the lower racks, 9, being new in advance at both ends of the bridge, they come in contact with the long wheels 22, turn the same in the opposite direction from that given by the rack 8 when opening the bridge, and thereby rotate the drums in each abutment, so as to lower the gate. 'hen the bridge is opened by turning it to the left-that is, in the direction of arrow 2the lower rack, 9, engages wheel 21 directly and winds up the drum and raises and closes the gate, openingit again bybeing turned back, rack 8 taking no part in either raising or lowering the gate; but if the bridge is closed by continuing to turn it until the ends are reversed, making a half-revolution, the upper rack engages the idle-wheel 22, and through wheel 21 and the drum lowers the gate.

The racks are so placed and are of such a length that they commence to raise the gate as soon as the bridge begins to turn and complete the raising before the bridge leaves the abutment.

' I elain1 1. As an improvement in swing-bridges, the

combination, with the bridge and its abutments, of gates held in suitable vertical ways or guides connected with the abutments, counterbalancing-levers placed on each side of the gate, and suitable mechanism interposed between the gates and the bridge, so that by the motion of the bridge the said gates are raised to close the street when the bridge is opened and lowered to open the street when thebridge is closed, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the swing-bridge provided with racks, suitable pinions fixed to shafts, said pinions being held in position to be engaged by the said racks when the bridge is opened and closed, vertically-movable gates held in suitable guideways in the abutment, counterbalancing-levers connected with suitable stanchiensr aced in the abutment and supporting the gat s, and suitable connections interposed bet-ween the shaft of the pinions and the gates ant its levers, whereby when the bridge is oped and closed the motion thereof is utilized and applied through the racks, pinions, and connections to open and close the gates, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the vertically-movable gate, the two sets of double levers L L, said levers being fulcrumed in suitable stanchions, and having their upper ends weighted and their lower end connected by a bar, '7, on which the bottom rail of the gate rests, and by which the gate is supported, the

swing-bridge provided with racks that engage and operate the mechanism by which the gate is raised and lowered, and chains and ropes that connect the said mechanism with the levers and with. the gate, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the verticallymovable gates supported by counterbalancinglevers, the swing-bridge provided with a tu r11- table having suitable racks formed upon it, a pinion provided with a shaft and supported in position to engage the racks of the turn-table when the bridge is opened and closed, a sprocket-wheel on the shaft of the pinion, a chain placed on said sprocket-wheel, and wire ropes extending down through the pier, under the river-bed,through a suitable pipe, and up in the abutment to the gate, one of said ropes being connected with the levers and the other with the gate, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the terticallyinovable gate, of the grooved columns 2 2, provided with rollers, the plate 3, placed transversely of the abutment, over the recess I, and inside the columns 2 2, and the plate 4, placed outside of the side columns and over the recess, and supported by brackets and stanchions 19, substantially as specified.

.MARIUS A. BEDDING.

Vitnesses:

W. O. DONN, JoHN F. NELSON. 

